高博软件学院-广东音乐学院

人教版高一英语必修三Unit 4课文翻译
Unit 4 Astronomy:the science of the stars
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Reading
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HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH
地球上生命的起源
No one knows exactly how the earth began, as it happened so long ago.
However, according to a widely accepted theory, the universe began with
a
to form and combine to create stars and other bodies.
没有人确切知道地球是怎样开始形成的，因为在很早很早以前它就形
成了。然而，一种普通为人们所接受 的理论是：宇宙起源于一次大爆
炸，这次大爆炸将物质投射到四面八方。然后，原子开始形成并结合成恒星和其他天体。
For several billion years after the
a cloud of dust. What it was to become was uncertain until between 4.5
and 3.8 billion years ago when the dust settled into a solid globe. The
earth became so violent that it was not clear whether the shape would
last or not. It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were in time to
produce carbon, nitrogen, water vapour and other gases, which were to
make the earth's atmosphere. What is even more important is that as the
earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface.
大爆炸后好几十亿年过去了，但地球还只是一团尘埃 。随后它会

变成什么没人能知道，直到38-45亿年前，这团尘埃才慢慢地形成一个固体的球状物。地球(开始)变得激烈动荡，不知道这个固体形状是
否会继续存在下去。它(地球 )猛烈的爆炸喷出了烈火与岩石。最终产
生了碳、氮气、水蒸气和其他多种气体，从而形成了地球的大气 层。
更为重要的是，地球冷却了下来，地球的表面就开始出现了水。
Water had also appeared on other planets like Mars but, unlike the
earth, it had disappeared later. It was not immediately obvious that water
was to be fundamental to the development of life. What many scientists
believe is that the continued presence of water allowed the earth to
dissolve harmful gases and acids into the oceans and seas. This produced
a chain reaction, which made it possible for life to develop.
在火星这些其他行星上都出现了水，但和地球不同的是，这些水
后来都消失 了。水会对生命的发展起关键作用，这一点在当时并不明
显。很多科学家相信，由于地球表面上长期有水 存在，它使得地球得
以把有害气体和酸性物质溶解在海洋里。这就产生了一系列的反应，
使得生 命就有可能开始发展了。
Many millions of years later, the first extremely small plants began
to appear on the surface of the water. They multiplied and filled the
oceans and seas with oxygen, which encouraged the later development of
early shellfish and all sorts of fish. Next, green plants began to grow on
land. They were followed in time by land animals. Some were insects.
Others, called amphibians, were able to live on land as well as in the

water. Later when the plants grew into forests, reptiles appeared for the
first time. They produced young enerally by laying eggs. After that, some
huge animals, called dinosaurs, developed. They laid eggs too
and existed on the earth for more than 140 million years. However, 65
million years ago the age of the dinosaurs ended. Why they suddenly
disappeared still remains a mystery. This disappearance made possible the
rise of mammals on the earth. These animals were different from all life
forms in the past, because they gave birth to young baby animals
and produced milk to feed them.
好几百万年以后，水的表面开始出现了极小的植物。它们繁殖起
来就使得早期的海 洋充满了氧气，这为早期的贝类及其他各种鱼类的
发育进一步创造了条件。接着，绿色是植物开始出现在 陆地上。随后，
陆地上出现了动物，其中有一些是昆虫，另外一些叫两栖动物，它们
一般是通过 孵蛋而繁衍后代的。再后来一些叫做恐龙的巨型动物出现
了。它们也生蛋，在地球上生存了一亿四千多年 。然而，六千五百万
年前，恐龙时代结束了。它们为什么会突然灭绝至今仍是个谜。恐龙
的灭绝 使地球上哺乳动物的产生有了可能。哺乳动物不同于以往所有
的生物形式，因为它们能从体内生产出幼仔 并给幼仔哺乳。
Finally about 2.6 million years ago some small clever animals, now
with hands and feet, appeared and spread all over the earth. Thus they
have, in their turn, become the most important animals on the planet. But
they are not looking after the earth very well. They are putting too much

carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping
from the earth into space. As a result of this, many scientists believe the
earth may become too hot to live on. So whether life will continue on the
earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem
can be solved.


最后，大约260万年前，一些小巧聪明、长着手脚的动 物出现了，
它们散布在地球的各个地方。于是，他们接着成为了这个行星上最重
要的动物。然而 ，他们对地球却并不怎么在意。它们把过多的二氧化

碳释放到大气层中，这使得地球上的 热不能释放到太空中去。因此很
多可科学家相信地球可能会因此变得太热而不适合生物的生存。所
以，在未来的数百万年中，生命能否在地球上延续取决于这个问题能
否得到解决。

Using Language
Reading
A VISIT TO THE MOON
月球之旅
Last month I was lucky enough to have a chance to make a trip into space
with my friend Li Yanping, an astronomer. We visited the moon in
our spaceship!
我的朋友李彦平 是一位宇航员。上个月我有幸得到一个机会同他一起
去太空旅行。我们乘宇宙飞船参观了月球。
Before we left, Li Yanping explained to me that the force of gravity
would change three times on our journey and that the first change would
be the most powerful. Then we were off. As the rocket rose into the air,
we were pushed back into our seats because we were trying to escape the
pull of the earth's gravity. It was so hard that we could not say anything to
each other. Gradually the weight lessened and I was able to talk to him.

from a tree I will fall to the ground.

earth now to feel its pull,
gravity at all. When we get closer to the moon, we shall feel its gravity
pulling us, but it will not be as strong a pull as the earth's.
up immediately and floated weightlessly around in our spaceship cabin
watching the earth become smaller and the moon larger.
在启程以前，李彦平向我解释说，在我们的航行中会有三次引力
的改变，而第一次的改变将是最 强的。随后我们就起航了。随着火
箭徐徐升空，我们慢慢逃离地球的引力。但这种引力太强了，把我们< br>重重地向后推在座位上，以至于我们彼此间都不能说话了。随后，这
个力量慢慢减小，我才能够同 他讲话。我问道：“为什么太空船不会
向后朝地球的方向落下去呢?在地球上的时候，如果我从书上掉下 来，
总会朝地上落下去的。”李彦平解释说：“现在我们离地球太远了，感
觉不到地球的拉力， 所以我们好像一点儿也感觉不到地球引力了。当
我们更接近月球时，就会感到月球的引力在拉我们。但是 ，月球的引
力不像地球的引力那么大。”我立刻感到很高兴，由于失重我在太空
舱里飘来飘去， 我望着(身后的)地球越来越小，而(前方的)月球越来
越大。
When we got there, I wanted to explore immediately.
said.
the moon is smaller and I will be able to move more freely. I might even
grow taller if I stay here long enough. I shall certainly weigh less!
I laughed and climbed down the steps from the spaceship. But when I

tried to step forward, I found I was carried twice as far as on the earth and
fell over.
that gravity has changed.
to enjoy ourselves.
我们到达月球时，我就想立即进 行探测。“来吧，”我说，“要是
你讲得对，我的重量就会比地球小，而我就能够更自由地活动了。如< br>果我在月球上呆的时间足够长的话，我甚至可能长得更高，我的体重
肯定也会变得更轻!”我笑着 从火箭的阶梯上爬下来。而当我试着向前
迈步的时候，我发觉我被送出去很远，步子的跨度竟然是在地球 上的
两倍，因而我摔倒了。“天哪，”我大声说，“重力改变了，看来走路
也的确需要练一练了 。”过了一会儿，我才掌握了走路的诀窍，这才
开始感到自如了。
Leaving the moon's gravity was not as painful as leaving the earth's.
But returning to the earth was very frightening. We watched, amazed as
fire broke out on the outside of the spaceship as the earth's gravity
increased. Again we were pushed hard into our seats as we came back to
land.
know much more about gravity! Do you think we could visit some stars
next time?
摆脱月球引力不想摆 脱地球引力那样痛苦。但是返回到地球的经
历却是非常吓人的。我们惊奇地看着，随着丢引力的增加，宇 宙飞船
的外层燃烧起火。当我们回到地面时，我们又感到被重重地推到在座

位上 。我说道：“真是精疲力竭了，但也很激动人心。关于引力，我
现在就懂得更多了。你认为下次我们可以 上星球上去参观吗?”“当然
可以，”他笑着说，“你想到那颗星球上去呢?”